Detroit Lions' Dominic Raiola: Matthew Stafford a good QB as I predicted

2:55 PM,
Jun. 22, 2013

Detroit Lions center Dominic Raiola and quarterback Matthew Stafford talk as they stretch with the team at the start of practice in Allen Park on Thursday June 13, 2013. Far right is defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh. Julian H. Gonzalez /Detroit Free Press

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Four years ago, center Dominic Raiola said - rather pointedly to a handful of heckling fans - that Matthew Stafford was the real deal, that he wouldn't be like the rest, just another failed Detroit Lions quarterback.

As Stafford enters his fifth season, Raiola believes his words have come to fruition and that the young quarterback has grown into "the guy" he predicted he would become.

"Just the voice," Raiola said. "He's more of that voice out there. He's the guy. When he's talking, everybody's listening. You can tell everybody looks up to him now. And that's kind of the role I envisioned him ...